Civil disobedience launches in Aden for second week amid calls to escalate against Saudi oversight

ADEN, Aug. 19 (YPA) – Popular civil disobedience activities continued in Aden, southern Yemen, for a second consecutive week, amid calls to intensify the escalation toward ending Saudi oversight and foreign interference.

Popular protests and acts of civil disobedience went on across Aden and other provinces as deteriorating public services deepened residents’ suffering. The gas crisis in particular has worsened, with the price of a cylinder exceeding 17,000 riyals, which equals $71.70.

Living conditions in Aden and other provinces have further deteriorated, with residents demanding reliable electricity and water supplies, tighter controls on food prices, and the payment of salaries that have remained unpaid for months, amid what they described as inaction by authorities aligned with Riyadh.

Popular escalation committees in Aden said peaceful civil disobedience continued with broad participation from labor unions, the commercial sector and various segments of society, describing it as a peaceful means of expressing legitimate demands and rights.

The committees called on residents to observe the civil disobedience until 10 a.m. as part of a partial civil disobedience program, excluding medical sectors, ambulances and emergency-service facilities to ensure the continued provision of essential humanitarian services.

Trade union committees said the popular movement reflects opposition to Saudi oversight policies and demands for citizens to be empowered to exercise their rights and have their demands addressed urgently, away from what they described as a campaign against residents by the Saudi Special Committee.

Video footage showed broad participation by Aden residents in the partial civil disobedience, reflecting growing public awareness and efforts to secure their legitimate rights after more than 11 years of hardship since Saudi and Emirati forces took control of Aden in mid-2015.